Front axle assembly for coaster wagons



March 31, 1936. A. c. KORTE FRONT AXLE ASSEMBLY FOR COASTER WAGONSOriginal Filed Feb. 27, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet l 'ALFRELD C. KORTE INVENTORA TTORNE Y March 31, 1936.. A. c. KORTE FRONT AXLE ASSEMBLY FOR COASTERWAGON S Original Filed Feb. 27, 19.35 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IFIG. 4

ALFRED c. KORTE INVENTDR I BY ATTORNEY March 31, 1936. A. c. KORTE2,036,150

FRONT AXLE ASSEMBLY FOR COASTER wAGoNs Original Filed. Feb. 27, 1933 4Sheets-Sheet 3 F'TT ALFRED C. KORTE INVENTOR ATTORNEY March 31, 1936..A. c. KORTE 0 I I FRONT AXLE ASSEMBLY FOR COASTER WAGONS Original FiledFeb. 27, 19:53 4 sheets-sheet 4 ALFRED C. KORTE INVENTOR I ATTORN Y illatheist FRQNT AXILE ASSEMBLY FU I lUUASTlEh WAGWW red Korte, St. honis,o., assignor'to Metallcrait illorporation, St. Louis, Me... a.corporation oi ll/llissonrli Uriginall application February 2?. 1933,Serial No.

Divided and this application t.

2, 19%, Serial No. 'illdhilii lli lDlaims.

This invention relates to improvements in front axle and wheelassembliesforecaster wagons, and one of its objects is to produce a generally newand improved axle structure.

A further object is to produce'an axle, wheel, and guard of stream lineformation for a child's coaster wagon, so that the wind resistance willbe reduced in coasting, and also to substantially improve the generalappearance of the vehicle.

a further object of the invention is to produce an axle for a child'scoaster wagon having as much as possible of the wheel enclosed by. aguard to prevent soiling and tearing the childs clothing by contact withthe rotating wheels and tires.

A further object of the invention is to produce an axle for a childscoaster wagon of lighter weight and greater strength than provided byprevious constructions.

Another object "of the invention is to produce an axle for a child'scoaster wagon which may be shipped knocked down, or disassembled fromthe wagon and assembled to the wagon at its destina- Hill ill

tion without the use of any bolts, nuts or small parts which are likelyto become lost in shipment. The invention will be better understood fromthe following description and accompanying drawings, referring to which:V

Figure 1 is a. front end view of a wagon embody ing my invention withthe tongue raised to show the nner in which the headlight beam passesthru the hole in the tongue.

Figure 2 is a front view'oi the wagon with some parts removed and others'shown in section. Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view showing one ofthe front wheels and its housing or guard. Figure t isan inverted planof the front end of the wagon with some parts shown in section.

Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the front end ofthe wagon.

Figure-6 is a plan view of the tongue, hounds and front and front axle.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the linesll-ll of Figure 6, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 8 is a cross sectional view taken along the lines h-t of Figure 6looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure ii is a cross sectional view thru the cover plate shown in Figure8. I

The reference neral i indicates the sheet (or. this) metal bed portionof the wagon to which the axle of my invention is to be attached. It maybe noted here that this application is a division of my co-pendingapplication Serial No. 658,849,

filed February 27, 1933 in which the other parts of the wagon are shownand claimed. The bed of the wagon is surrounded by an inner wall 2, theupper portion of which is curved outwardly and downwardly to form anouter wall it.

Below the front end of the wagon bed is a battery housing t which isattached to the bed and provided with a downturned annular projection hwhich serves as a support for the front end of the wagon and whichreceives the king pin t. The upperend of the king pin is turnedoutwardly to form a flange which overlies a corresponding inturnedflange at the lower end of the downwardly extending portion t. The lowerend of'the king pin is provided with projections it which are turnedoutwardly to form a flange ll, underlying the lower axle member t. Themain member t or the front axle is formed of sheet metal and is ofsubstantially oval or tear-drop shape as indicated in Figure 7. Thelower portions being slightly flattened for road clearance and toconform to the lower axle member it.

- Wheel supporting bearing portions it are formed at each end of themain axle member. For convenience of manufacture, I prefer to form thesebearing portions integral with the sheet i The upper side of the mainaxle member is arched upwardly in the middle and is provided with anupstanding boss as indicated at it to support the inner wheel guard it,which is formed of sheet metal and perforated in the center to metalmain axle member a by simply curling the receive the end of the mainaxle member as indieated at it. The vertical longitudinal section of theouter edge of the inner wheel guard is formed in substantiallytear-drop" or oval shape for better streamlining and may be providedwith a flange it against which the outer edge of the outer wheel guardit may rest. Suitable means for attaching such as spot-welding areprovided. The outer wheel guard it has a vertical longitudinalcross-section of substantially oval or teardrop'shape as indicated inFigure 5. Also the horizontal crom-aection oi the inner and outer wheelguard assembly is of stream lined shape as indicated in Figure 4.

The central part of the outer wheel guard is provided with an indentedportion H which is perforated as indicated at I8 to receive theprojections II on the end of the bearing portion H].

The axle is capable of being shipped knocked down or disassembled fromthe wheels and wheel guards. Prior to assembly of the wheels to theaxles, the projections Ii are straight or within the cylindrical contourof the bearing portion I0. Upon assembly the wheels l9 and the wheelguards are simultaneously fitted to the bearing portions ID with theprojections H extending thru the perforations l8 and the opening l4resting against the boxes or ribs l2. The projecting ends of theprojections l I are then bent over with a hammer or pliers and theassembly is complete. It will be understood thatthe wheels are held inplace between the inturned portions ll of the outer wheel guard and theshoulders IQ.

of the main axle member.

In order to cover up the end of the bearing portion and to protect itfrom dust, a cover 20 is provided. This cover is formed with projections2! which extend thru corresponding openings in the outside of the wheelguard. These projections are preferably bent slightly so that they willnot loosely slip in and out of the corresponding openings in the wheelguards. This is to-prevent the dust cover 20 from-falling off in use. Itwould be possible, of course, to slide a punch up between the lower edgeof the outer tire cover and the wheel to bend over the projections 2|after assembly, but this is usually found to be unnecessary if themembers 2! are properly bent or twisted in the first place.

The lower axle member 8 is made of sheet metal attached to the main axlemember and to the hounds by means of lugs 23 and 24, but may be spotwelded instead if desired. The-lug or flange 23 is an integral part ofthe lower edge of the main axle member and is bent over below the bottomplate. The projections 24 are formed integral with the hounds 25 and arebent over below the bottom plate to draw it up against the main axlemember. The hounds are formed from sheet metal and provided with adownturned flange 26 which fits over the central part of the upperportion of the main axle member as indicated in Figure 5. The portion 26is perforated and the inside of the perforation is turned downwardly toform the upper king pin bearing.

The tongue is attached to the hounds bymeans of two forwardly extendingprojections'2'l which are formed of sheet metal integral with the houndsand turned inwardly and curled into bearing portions as indicated at 28to which the tongue 30 is pivotally attached by means of the bearing 29.The tongue is provided with a handle 3| and a rubber bumper 32 is fittedto a suitable hole in the sheet metal tongue to prevent scratching thepaint by contact between the tongue and the wagon bed. The tongue isformed in two pieces of sheet metal with a comparatively large hole 33as indicated in Figures 6 and '7 so that when the tongue is raised theheadlight 49 may shine thru the hole, otherwise the headlight would beuseless when the tongue was in raised position.

It may be noted that the headlight is operated by a pair of batteries36, the subject matter being claimed in a separate application.

I claim: 1. In a child's coaster wagon, a centrally pivoted axle, saidaxle being made of sheet metal and arched in both fore and aft andtransverse directions a bearing portion near each end of said axle, saidbearing portions being fixed in axial alignment with each other, wheelsmounted on said bearing portions, wheel guards enveloping the upperportions of each of said wheels, the inner side of each of said wheelguards being fixed to said axle and held against rotation with respectthereto, and the outer sides of said wheel guards being attached to theouter ends of. said axle.

' 2. In a child's coaster wagon, a sheet metal axle, a cylindricalbearing portion near each endhaving a non-circular central portion, anda,

cylindrical bearing portion near each end, a wheel rotatably mounted onsaid bearing portion, a wheel guard for the upper portion of said wheeland having an inner opening constructed and arranged to fit thenon-circular portion of said axle, the outer'portion of said wheel guardhaving an opening in registration with a portion of said axle, and meansextending thru said opening for attaching the wheel guard to the axle.

4.1m a device of the class described, a unitary sheet metal axlecomprising a non-circular central portion of comparatively large crosssection, bearing portions outside of said central portions,

wheels rotatably mounted on said bearing porconstructed and arranged tohold said wheel on said bearing portion, and means for attachin saidwheel guard to said axle.

5. In a. device of the-class described, an axle having a stream linedcentral portion, bearing portions near the outerends of said axle,wheels mounted on said bearing portions, stream lined wheel guardssubstantially covering the upper portions of said wheels, the innersides of said wheel guards having non-circular openings constructed andarranged to receive the stream lined portion of said axle, the outersides of said wheel guards having openings adapted to receive the outerends of said axle, said wheel guards serving as the sole means torepreventing removal of said wheels from said axle, and a device forpreventing the removal of the wheel guard from the axle.

6. A stream-lined front axle assembly for a child's coaster wagoncomprising an upwardly arched sheet metal member, bearing portionsconnected to the end of said member and extending outwardly therefrom,wheels mounted on said bearing portions, wheel guards mounted on saidbearing portions outside of the wheel, said wheel guards being extendedupwardly and inwardly and being joined to said first named member at apoint inside the wheels.

'7. A streamlined front axle assembly Ior a child's coaster wagoncomprising an upwardly aoa ito arched sheet metal member, bearingportions connected to the end or said member and extending outwardlytherefrom, wheels mounted on said bearing portions, wheel guards mountedon said bearing portions outside of the wheel, said wheel guards beingextended upwardly and inwardly and being joined to said first namedmember at a point inside the wheels, said wheel guards serving to holdsaid wheels in position, and means outside the wheel guards for holdingthem in position on the bearing portions.

8. A front wheel assembly for a child's coaster wagon comprising a sheetmetal main member, said main member being arched upwardly in the middleto support the front end of a wagon bed and being provided with a kingpin opening, said main member being curved downwardly at the end, wheelsupporting bearing portions connected to the end of said main member andextending outwardly therefrom, wheels mounted on said bearing portions,streamlined wheel guards fully covering and protecting the upper outerpart of said wheels, said wheel guards being attached to the outer endsof said bearing portions and means for connecting the inner edges ofsaid wheel guards with said main member.

9. In a child's vehicle, a sheet metal axle member, means forming wheelbearings near the outer ends of said axle, wheels mounted on saidbearings, streamlined wheel guards substantially covering the upperportion oi said wheels, the inner sides of said wheel guards beingnon-rotatably mounted on said sheet metal axle member, the outer sidesof said wheel guards having openings adapted to receive the outer endsof said axle, and means at the outer ends of the axle for detachablyconnecting the wheel guards thereto, said wheel guards serving as meansfor detachably preventing the removal of said wheels.

10. In a child's vehicle, a sheet metal axle member, means forming wheelbearings near the outer end of said axle, wheels mounted onsaidbearings, streamlined wheel guards substantially covering the upperportion of said wheels, the inner sides of said wheel guards beingattached to said sheet metal axle member, the outer sides of said wheelguards having openings adapted to receive the ou'terends of said axle,and devices at the outer ends of the axle'for preventing the removal ofthe wheel guards from the axle, said wheel guards and devices serving asthe sole means for preventing removal or said wheels from said axle.

11. A front axle assembly for a child's wagon comprising a centrallypivoted transversely arched sheet metal member having wheel bearingportions near each end thereof, wheels mounted on said bearing portions,and wheel guards mounted on and rigidly attached to said sheet metalmember, said wheel guards including members attached to said sheet metalmember at points outside of said wheels, and said wheel guardssubstantially enclosing the upper halves of said wheels.

12. A front axle assembly for a child's vehicle comprising ahorizontally extending sheet metal load carrying member, the front andrear edges of said member being curved downwardly, a king pin openingnear the central part thereof, and a wheel guard mounted on and attachedto each end of said member, said wheel guards substantially enclosingthe upper halves of said wheels. l

13. A front axle assembly for a child's vehicle comprising ahorizontally extending sheet metal load carrying member, the front andrear edges of said member being curved downwardly, a icing pin openingnear the central part thereof, a pair of wheels, and a wheel guardmounted on or attached to each end of said member, said wheel guardsincluding members attached to the wheel bearings outside of the wheels.

14. A front axle structure for childrens vehicles comprising a centrallypivoted sheet metal transverse member, the upper portion oi said memberbeing of generally arched construction, a wagon tongue operativelyconnected to said member and sheet metal wheel guards carried by saidmember, said wheel guards substantially covering the upper halves ofsaid wheels.

15. A front axle structure for children's vehicles comprising acentrally pivoted sheet metal transverse member of arched constructionboth fore and aft and transversely, means including a wagon tongue forturning said member about its pivot, sheet metal wheel guards attachedto the ends of said transverse member and a pair of wheels mountedbetween said wheel guards, said wheel guards substantially covering theupper halves of said wheels.

16. A front axle assembly for children's vehicles comprising astreamlined central sheet metal load carrying member, a wagon tongue,means for pivotally attaching said tongue to said load carrying member,wheel guards attached to said load carrying member, said wheel guardshaving edges conforming to the streamline of said load carrying member,means forming wheel bearings, said wheel guards being attached to saidwheel bearing members.

17. An axle structure comprising a centrally pivoted sheet metaltransverse member, said member being of arched construction in both foreand aft and tranverse directions, a pair of wheels and sheet metal wheelguards carried thereby, said wheel guards substantially covering theupper halves of said wheels.

ALFRED C. KORTE.

